Migz Zubiri, 52, is an incumbent senator who has served in both chambers of Congress since 1998. He is also the current Senate majority floor leader.
He began his career as a legislator in 1998 when he was elected to represent the 3rd District of Bukidnon, a seat previously held for three consecutive terms by his father Jose Maria Zubiri who is the current governor of the same province.
The seat has stayed in the family ever since, passed on to the governor's eldest son Jose Zubiri III who held it from 2007 to 2016, and then to his second child Manuel Antonio Zubiri who is the incumbent. Due to term limits, Governor Zubiri is now looking to swap posts with his son in the lower house.
Despite hailing from a formidable political clan in Mindanao, Senator Zubiri has expressed support for passing an anti-dynasty law in 2022. However, proposed anti-dynasty bills did not move in the Senate throughout his tenure as majority leader.
Zubiri first sought a Senate seat in 2007 but served only until 2011, resigning amid allegations of electoral fraud and the pendency of another electoral protest against him before the Senate Electoral Tribunal. Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III was shortly after declared the 12th duly elected senator during the May 2007 elections.
He made an unsuccessful bid for senator in 2013 but won his third attempt in 2016. He was elected majority floor leader two years later.
As a legislator, he has principally authored at least 16 laws, including several laws on strengthening cooperatives. He also voted to extend martial law in Mindanao until 2019.
Initially figuring on almost every senatorial slate, Zubiri initially claimed to be neutral and refrained from endorsing anyone for president. However, at a UniTeam campaign rally in his home province on March 31, 2022, he referred to Marcos Jr. as "our president" and the supposed clear winner of the upcoming race.
Senator Panfilo Lacson has since dropped Zubiri from his Senate slate and a number of Vice President Leni Robredo’s supporters have long called on her to do the same. He remains a guest candidate on the UnitTeam slate and Senator Manny Pacquiao’s senatorial lineup.
If re-elected, Zubiri plans to prioritize the passage of a third Bayanihan law that will offer economic assistance to farmers, tourism workers, and micro, small and medium enterprises that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. He also wants to build more specialty hospitals nationwide.
The candidate's top priorities if elected to office, tracked against previous promises and accomplishments, if any
- Passage of the third COVID-19 financial aid or Bayanihan 3; to focus on workers hit by the pandemic including farmers, those in the tourism industry, and MSMEs
- Push for increased vaccination efforts and testing capacity
- Abolish “questionable” agencies to manage COVID-19 funds, such as the Philippine International Trading Corporation and the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management
- Among the co-authors of the COVID-19 Vaccination Act
- Sen. Zubiri filed a resolution seeking a probe of delays in multi-party agreements between the government and entities seeking to buy COVID-19 vaccines
- Commissioned questions in the June 2021 Pulse Asia’s Ulat ng Bayan regarding the people’s response to the country’s vaccination program and the upcoming national elections; results showed that 46% of Filipinos won’t vote if COVID-19 rate in their locality is high; 69% of Filipinos are unsure of the vaccine’s safety
- Filed Senate Bill 2470, amending RA No.11332, and setting the fine for quarantine violators to not less than P500,000 but not more than P1 million or imprisonment of 6-12 years
- Access to the Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth of government officials to promote transparency
- Strengthen the Office of the Ombudsman by equipping it with more facilities and personnel, along with streamlining case processes
- Create a Typhoon Odette fund
- Push for Marawi Siege Compensation Act
- Filed Senate Bill No. 2487 or the Paglaum Fund of 2022, providing for P20 billion in rehabilitation funds for provinces hit by Typhoon Odette
- Filed Senate Bill 1139, which creates the Department of Disaster Resilience, and Senate Bill 527, or the National Hazard Mapping Act of 2019
The candidate's top five accomplishments and contributions for the last 15 years or so
Public Office
Zubiri started as his father’s chief-of-staff before running to represent the 3rd District of Bukidnon in a seat that has been held alternately by him, his two brothers and his father since 1987.
As a lawmaker in the House of Representatives, he principally authored the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. He belonged to the opposition bloc during the administration of President Joseph Estrada, supporting the impeachment of the incumbent chief executive and backing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s new administration.
Zubiri ran for the Senate in 2007 and was proclaimed as the winner by a margin of 18,372 votes. Sen. Pimentel contested the votes tally, including the finding that President Arroyo’s Team Unity senatorial slate won a 12-0 sweep in Maguindanao. Zubiri filed his own counter-protest that claimed that he himself was cheated in Metro Manila. He served for about four years before Andal Ampatuan Sr., then-governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in 2007, and Lintang Bedol, an ex-Maguindanao election supervisor, claimed that opposition candidates were cheated to help Zubiri clinch his win. Ampatuan at the time was embroiled in the Maguindanao massacre case while Bedol was involved in an electoral sabotage case against President Arroyo.
Zubiri resigned on Aug. 3, 2011, days before the Senate Electoral Tribunal ruled in favor of Sen. Pimentel, while still denying allegations of fraud. Zubiri also withdrew the counter-protest head filed with the SET. Eight days later, Sen. Pimentel was proclaimed the 12th duly elected senator during the May 14, 2007 election, finding that “dagdag-bawas” was evident in the results of the contested precincts, and ruled that Pimentel led Zubiri by 258,166 votes. Pimentel then served the remainder of the term.
Zubiri unsuccessfully ran for senator in 2013 but won in 2016. As a lawmaker in both chambers of Congress, he principally authored at least 16 laws, including several laws on cooperatives, regulation of rent and increase of hospital beds and other health facilities. He was also a co-author and sponsor of the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021 which allowed for the speedy procurement of vaccines, and the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2, a stimulus package intended to mitigate the pandemic’s effects on the country’s economy.
Throughout his career, Zubiri has authored and sponsored legislation focused on Mindanao. Chief among these is the landmark Bangsamoro Organic Law which created the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Zubiri also authored the Cooperative Development Authority Charter of 2019, the Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008, the Ease of Doing Business and the Efficient Delivery of Government Services Act of 2018.
He also ushered the passage of the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 into law in his early days as a senator following the enactment of the Biofuels Law of 2006 which Zubiri authored while he was still in the lower house.
Principal author and sponsor in the Senate, 2018
Approved by the president on June 30, 2019
Principal author and sponsor in the Senate, 2020
Approved by the president on Apr. 9, 2021 20, 2021
Principal author and co-sponsor in the House of Representatives, 2001
Approved by the president on June 7, 2002
Principal author and co-sponsor in the Senate, 2009
Approved by the president on July 14, 2009
Principal author and co-sponsor of R.A. No. 9161 in the House of Representatives, 2001
Principal author and co-sponsor of R.A. No. 9341 in the House of Representatives, 2005
Approved by the president on Dec. 22, 2001
Approved by the president on Dec. 21, 2005
Private Sector
2018-present
Actions and/or proceedings pending against or resolved in courts or tribunals involving the candidate, based on publicly available information
Resolved Actions and/or Proceedings
| Subject Matter | Relevant Dates | Potential Liability | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Senate Electoral Tribunal Case No. 001-07
Protestant Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III questioned the May 14, 2007 senatorial elections results from a total of 2,658 electoral precincts located in the Mindanao region |
Election protest filed on July 30, 2007 before the Senate Electoral Tribunal
After the revision and appreciation of the ballots and election documents from the contested areas of Protestant Pimentel III, the parties’ vote totals showed Pimentel III leading Zubiri by 258,166 votes |
||
|
Senate Electoral Tribunal Case No. 001-07
Protestee Zubiri assailed in his Counter-Protest the results in 73,265 precincts, including the 2,658 precincts subject of Pimentel’s protest |
Proceedings on the Counter Protest of Zubiri ensued and continued per SET’s Resolution No. 07-105 issued on Jun. 4, 2010 | The SET received a letter dated Aug. 3, 2011 from Zubiri informing the SET of his resignation, which he requested be considered as voluntary withdrawal and/or abandonment of his counter-protest |
Also known as SALN, this document is a declaration of one's personal finances. Philippine Law requires the SALN to be submitted by all public officials and employees to the Ombudsman. Public officials and employees may opt to voluntarily disclose their SALN to the public.
* As of Dec. 31, 2020
Key details about the candidate's campaign
Included in the senatorial slates of:
1. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.-Sara Duterte tandem
2. Leni Robredo-Francis Pangilinan tandem
3. Manny Pacquiao-Lito Atienza tandem
Candidate's major donors and campaign funding sources
The candidate's top advocacies in the last 15 years or so
- President of the Philippine Deer Foundation
- Member of the Concerned Divers
- Founding Member of the Katala Foundation Inc., a non-profit, non-stock, non-governmental organization, has been active in protecting and conserving threatened endemic wildlife, particularly the Philippine Cockatoo, Palawan Forest Turtle, Palawan Pangolin, Calamian Deer and Balabac Mouse-deer where the last strongholds of the respective species can be found
- Team Explorer, host from ABSCBN
- President and CEO of Mangima Hydro Power Corporation
- Filed the Magna Carta for Environment and Natural Resources Personnel on Sept. 29, 2010
- Among the co-authors of R.A. No. 11054 (Bangsamoro Organic Law)
- Filed Senate Bill No. 1232, establishing the Autonomous Region of the Cordillera on Dec. 11, 2019, which is pending before committees on local government, electoral reforms and people’s participation, ways and means, and finance
- Filed Senate Bill No. 308, creating the Mindanao Railways Authority, which is pending before the committees on government corporations and public enterprises, public services, ways and means, and finance
- Filed Senate Bill No. 2414 or the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, which is pending with the committees on public services, and finance
- Filed Senate Bill No. 2413 or the Transportation Cooperatives Development Loan Fund Act, which is pending before the committees on finance and cooperatives
- President of the Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation
- Won gold at the First Arnis World Championships in 1989
- Co-author and sponsor of R.A. No. 9850, declaring arnis as the national sport
- Lobbied for the inclusion of arnis in the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam
Basic information on the candidate's family, background and work experience
Jose Ma. R. Zubiri, Jr.; father; former Bukidnon 3rd District representative and Bukidnon vice governor, incumbent Bukidnon governor
Victoria Fernandez-Zubiri; mother
Jose Ma. F. Zubiri III, brother; former Bukidnon 3rd District Representative
Manuel Antonio Zubiri, brother, incumbent Bukidnon 3rd District Representative 2 other children
Maria Adriana Zubiri
Juan Miguel Zubiri Jr.
Santiago Gabriel Zubiri
• Master of Environment and Natural Resources Management, University of the Philippines Open University, 2011
• Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management, University of the Philippines Los Banos, 1990
• Honorary Fellowship, Royal Institution of Singapore
• Honorary Doctor Fellow, Royal Institution of Public Administrators
• Vice Chairman, Philippine Red Cross, 2018-2020
• Senate Majority Leader, 17th and 18th Congress, 2018-present
• Senate Majority Leader, 14th Congress, 2008-2010
• Senator, Senate of the Philippines, 2007-2011 (resigned), 2016-present
• Representative of the 3rd District of Bukidnon, House of Representatives, 1998-2007
• Chief-of-staff of his father then-Gov. Jose Maria Zubiri, Jr., 1995-1998
• General Manager, Zubros Agri Inc., 1990-1995
Learn more about this candidate
Principal author and co-sponsor in the Senate, 2019
Approved by the president on June 25, 2020
(Sole) principal author and sponsor in the Senate, 2017
Approved by the president on Dec. 19, 2017
Principal author and sponsor in the House of Representatives, 2003
Approved by the president on Feb 3, 2004
Principal author in the Senate, 2019
Approved by the president on June 30, 2019
Principal author in the Senate, 2019
Approved by the president on Apr. 12, 2019
